Sequoia baked potatoes?

[2busy]

I figure this belongs in the stupid forum.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/californias-sequoias-wrapped-foil-governor-213910962.html

California's sequoias wrapped in foil as governor signs climate bill​

Fri, September 24, 2021, 4:39 PM


Giant sequoia trees are wrapped in fireproof foil in California to protect them from out-of-control blazes as the state's governor, Gavin Newsom, pushes through a $15 billion legislative package to tackle climate change and protect some of the world's biggest trees.

 

[Snattlerake]

This message brought to you by ALCOA.

 

[Chief Sapulpa]

They better use Kaiser foil, "it's quilted"...

 

[dennishoddy]

Actually, the foil used is the same used in space blankets and others that have been used to protect buildings in the fire areas previously.
The buildings wrapped survived, the buildings not wrapped burned, so there is a benefit to protect the largest tree on earth, the General Sherman Sequoia.

 

[MacFromOK]

Actually, the foil used is the same used in space blankets and others that have been used to protect buildings in the fire areas previously.
The buildings wrapped survived, the buildings not wrapped burned, so there is a benefit to protect the largest tree on earth, the General Sherman Sequoia.

Yeah, but buildings aren't alive. There's also the fact that trees live mainly by the cambium layer, which is just under the bark (hollow trees can survive decades or more).

I sincerely hope it works, but I fear success will depend largely on available undergrowth (or the lack thereof) to feed the fires.

___

 

[GlockPride]

Wait? They caused it and now they’re trying to solve it? As I understand their “green problems” of failing to have small, prescribed burns a d trimming back around power lines as really been the main cause of these large fires.

 

[TerryMiller]

Back in 2018, the wife and I served as volunteer camp hosts at a small RV park in southern Utah. Because of that, we made numerous trips down into Arizona to see the Grand Canyon. Officials in Arizona do go in and clear out underbrush. One could drive down in that area and see piles of limbs, brush and what-not ready to burn. Then, towards Fall, they would go in and do their burning.

At least some know how to prevent such wildfires. You can see some piles in this photo.

 

[John6185]

Not too many fires ago, I read where a guy during the California fires bought some aluminum foil (at a great expense) and wrapped his cabin or home with it and it saved his home.

 

[dennishoddy]

Yeah, but buildings aren't alive. There's also the fact that trees live mainly by the cambium layer, which is just under the bark (hollow trees can survive decades or more).

I sincerely hope it works, but I fear success will depend largely on available undergrowth (or the lack thereof) to feed the fires.

___

That's true.
The people that manage that forest have also said that the Sequoias are conditioned to fire as this is certainly not the first fire that the General Sherman tree has experienced. The cambium layer is well over a foot thick. I've seen trees with over 2/3 of their cambium layer survive and thrive later as that layer rebuilds itself.
The heat germinates the seeds creating new growth and so on. I'm betting the NFS is clearing the understory around that tree and others in efforts to preserve that particular forest. The foil is a last resort.
Here is something interesting we have done on our place with oaks and walnuts that was taught to us by a college trained arborist.
When trimming limbs there is a crown that you need to cut along. No matter how big the limb is, take a chain saw or in smaller cases a knife or small hand saw to tear up the new growth around the cut. It causes the tree to go into high speed repair which continues to heal the tree, eventually covering the entire area where the the limb was removed. It's dark now, but if I remember I'll take a pic of several limbs removed that have been completely repaired. It takes years, but it does work.

 

[dennishoddy]

Back in 2018, the wife and I served as volunteer camp hosts at a small RV park in southern Utah. Because of that, we made numerous trips down into Arizona to see the Grand Canyon. Officials in Arizona do go in and clear out underbrush. One could drive down in that area and see piles of limbs, brush and what-not ready to burn. Then, towards Fall, they would go in and do their burning.

At least some know how to prevent such wildfires. You can see some piles in this photo.

We saw those piles in Montana and Wyoming this summer.